Morning Notes

Citizen Feedback on Streetcar Mostly Negative – The Washington Post counted all 270 citizen comments received by the Pike Transit Initiative regarding the planned Columbia Pike streetcar. Of the comments, 78 were “pro-streetcar,” 86 supported additional bus service instead of the streetcar, and 59 wanted no streetcar or no change. Our poll, conducted last week, found that 50 percent of respondents preferred the streetcar while 34 percent wanted articulated buses instead and 16 percent wanted no change. [Washington Post]

Arlington May Get ‘Drug Court’ – Arlington is seeking state approval to establish a “drug court.” The court would provide an alternative for dealing with nonviolent drug offenders. “It will help people who are in dire need of substance-abuse services, and will cut down on incarceration for folks who have substance-abuse issues only,” according to a supporter in the local Office of the Public Defender. [Sun Gazette]

A-SPAN Handing Out Water Bottles– Today the Arlington Street People’s Assistance Network (A-SPAN) will embark on a “day of outreach” to determine the needs of the homeless living throughout Arlington. In addition to visiting the homeless where they live — areas including “Crystal City, National Airport, Rosslyn, and the wooded area near the Key Bridge and Roosevelt Island” — A-SPAN volunteers will be handing out more than 1,300 bottles of water, a gift from Ashlawn Elementary Students.

‘Sister Mary Ignatius’ Reviewed – Theater critic Terry Ponick takes a look at the American Century Theater production of Sister Mary Ignatius Explains It All For You. The one-act play is being performed at Gunston Theatre II (2700 S. Lang Street) through July 7. [Washington Times]

Glad to hear they’re finally establishing a drug court. Good move by the County!

Let’s hope the state approves the application.

drax

It’s not a done deal yet. Arlington has tried before and been denied. But it looks like this time it will happen. Great news.

sunflower

’bout damn time—hope it’s effective

nunya

can we get Judge Judy?

T:GEOA

Listen to the Drug Court episode on This American Life. You might change your mind about drug courts.

WeiQiang

+ 88.5

those are some sinister mofo’s

drax

That’s about a rogue judge – but that could happen with any court, not just a drug court. And it’s really about our ridiculously stupid drug laws.

Enough already

Of course the feedback on the streetcar is mostly negative. Its a dumb idea, its costly and will not provide any better transportation than buses. Keep electing these arrogant board members and keep getting ignored.

drax

Wow, 270 comments.

KalashniKEV

+1000000

literalist

I wonder what % of the anti street car folks thought heavy rail under Col Pike was possible – I ask since commenters here have suggested that.

JohnB

Or it could be that a higher proportion of the people who are upset took the time to comment than the people who are happy. Where else do we see this phenomenon? Oh right! Blog comments.

nonagon

^ This.

WillJohnston

But now the anit-streetcar people are the happy ones, because they won the poll. See how that works?

marie antoinette

Amen!

R.Davies

The county board for the People’s Republic of Arlington will never get voted out and so will continue their arrogant rule for years to come!

G Clifford Prout (now moderated for extra purity)

I wasn’t here when Metro was coming though Arlington, but from what I understand it was quite an ordeal. My guess is that if there were blogs and online polls and the like we wouldn’t have Metro in Arlington. Oh the cost, oh the change, oh my oh my the sky will fall in. People would have just wanted things the way they were. I’d also take a guess that if every decision a representative government made had to go to a popular vote women wouldn’t be able to vote in America.

http://purple.com/purple.html Captain Pup McPuppo

v true. streetcars are cool.

AllenB

Very true.

Douglas Park

+1

Orange Rider

Well, Metro was a regional transit system, authorized by congress, that had clear benefits above and beyond what this little trolley idea provides.

Other than that, your point is off target.

drax

“Metro was a regional transit system, authorized by congress”

Irrelevant to whether it had merit.

“that had clear benefits above and beyond what this little trolley idea provides.”

That’s what we’re debating.

Orange Rider

You know, “authorized” meant funded as well. Since funding is an issue, it is very relevant.

drax

The federal government would fund a large chunk of the streetcar too.

Orange Rider

But not anywhere near the same percentage. I guess you didn’t know that.

drax

Yeah, I had no idea that a system that serves the District would be funded at a higher percentage by the federal government than a local streetcar. No idea.

Orange Rider

Happy to help.

MattL

+1,000

CW

I wasn’t here for these either, but I’d imagine the Eisenhower Interstate System, coast-to-coast rail, and the C&O Canal were quite an ordeal too. Fortunately, back then people had backbones, understood the idea of progress, and were willing to put up with some hardship in order to see things through and reap a benefit. These types of people hung around long enough to make America great, and then disappeared. Now the public and, by extension naturally, the elected officials, have a mindset of instant gratification, so big shoot-for-the-moon capital projects never happen anymore.

John Fontain

Anyone know what ever happened with that trash can cleaning business, Can Scrubbers, that was mentioned on this site about a year ago. I’ve yet to see one of their trucks around town. Has anyone used them or seen them?

Why do you care? Are you that hard up for stuff that you go searching for things on this site in 2010?

jackson

Some Guy’s mom?

Kate

Is she your girlfriend?

the real drax

That comment wasn’t from me.

SomeGuy

Ethics maybe? Fairness? drax, I’m surprised you aren’t curious as well. You generally try to fall on the side of fairness, no? Wouldn’t you like to know what influences the decision to give people the the Trev treatment vs. the “Ellen” treatment… 2 years later? That’s all I’m asking.

the real drax

That comment wasn’t from me.

(Now you all see one reason I change user names sometimes).

sunflower

but you are still the only one who knows who you are–we can only go by writing style, usage, pet phrases, addressing people by post-name, etc., etc., and so forth

WeiQiang

Seriously why are you looking at stuff in 2010?

WeiQiang

hey hey hey! you tell me where you get the name Wei Qiang and then explain why you’re bogarting it?

KalashniKEV

Just be flattered that you have a valuable screen name. Some folks change theirs every few weeks after being routinely embarrassed…

WeiQiang

clearly i do not care about embarrassment. lol. thx.

WeiQiang

Simply because I can.

HaydiosMio

Aye papi! I can’t anonymously destroy people anymore!

WeiQiang

then at least be as thoughtful, compassionate, witty, handsome, rich, intellectual, romantic, muscular, athletic, progressive, environmentally friendly [except for driving 10 blocks to work], and gay as I am.

on second thought, just don’t be a d’bag, brah … and expropriating my name doesn’t look promising for you.

SomeGuy

I’m observant. And it’s a legitimate question to ask a blogging journalist why some people get the privilege of having their names redacted while others get their mugshots posted.

Again, with the ‘non-violent’ drug offenders! These stupid liberals NEVER learn about dopers! Do they think the dope dealers just arbitrarily GIVE the dang dope to them? These non-violent folks will do ANYTHING to get dope, anything! Cheat anybody, steal from everybody, and if you happen to be in the way of the little non-violent dope-head, you could just be dead, just so the non-violenter, can shove a little more heroin into his/her arm, or more crack through their nose! This is one more stupid idea by Arlington County.

drax

Dude, you can’t convict someone of a crime they might commit, or that someone else might commit.

And you don’t know what drug courts do, obviously. They are not letting dope fiends get off easy. Ease off the ignorant rightwing outrage. Cracking heads clearly hasn’t worked, maybe you should go learn what these courts actually do and have an intelligent response.

dk (not DK)

yes, let’s just build more jails. Can we fit one on the Kenmore campus?

jackson

I can no longer tell real comments from the satire and trolling comments.